This week was our annual summer party. We invite everyone in the neighborhood, friends, coworkers, family, everyone. We have had as few as 20 people and as many as 100 show up. I provide a main course and drinks. The rest is a pot-luck provided by the guests.
This year the plan was to make Discada backed up by Tacos for the less adventurous. However rain drove us inside and cut the number of guests to about 45 this year so I decided to cut the menu to just the taco bar. We will do Discada later.
This is the essence of why we cook beyond just survival. Just providing food and a location and an entire neighborhood comes together for a night of fun. Neighbors who seldom venture out of their house get to meet everyone. Families with little kids who never knew each other meet and their kids now have newfound friends. Older neighbors in need of some help find willing hands to tackle a project.
Step it up. Invite people over and just cook. There doesn’t need to be a reason. Just reach out and cook. The rest will fall into place. It’s what we have been doing for thousands of years. Someone threw some meat on a fire, someone brought some roots, someone else brought some grains, another brought bread and now they have a community. We live our modern lives alone, insulated in hermetically sealed homes and technology. Get backing your extended families and the community of man.
Just extend the invitation and cook.
John
Black Forge Kitchen 